ATTENDANCE ALLOWANCE

Hello Brassed Off,

The principle of AA is whether someone needs support during the day and/or during the night. The fact that you consider that your mother needs support 24/7 clearly says that she needs both of these, and that is what you need to make clear as you work your way through the form.

If you have not read our guide, I think you will find it very helpful. It is the first link, confusingly under the DLA heading. DLA resources

For each question think about how she would cope if she was living alone without people coming in to check up on her or do routine little tasks.

If you have determined that she needs to move into a home, I would say that that is substantial evidence that she does need 24/7 care, and I would be surprised if the Manager of the home would not write you a supporting letter to that effect.

I hope that helps, but please get back to us if you have any more questions,
Catherine

Hi Brassed Off

Normally, you cannot be paid attendance allowance if you live in a care home, but you should apply for it anyway. Once you establish your entitlement you can be paid attendance allowance for any day you are not in a care home, including the day you leave and the day you return . For example, if you spend a weekend at home with relatives, going home on Friday and returning on Sunday , you are paid attendance allowance for those three days.
AA regs, reg 7(4)

There are exceptions such as if you are terminally ill, if you are paying the fees for the accommodation

Gary

Hi Sarah

I missed the bit 'and us having to pay due to being over the threshold' in which case you are correct.

As self-funding you would be eligible to claim AA, if you stay in hospital more than 28 days then your claim for AA would stop unless the stay was privately funded and as you rightly pointed out if it was not privately funded you just need to contact DWP and inform them that you have left hospital to get AA back in payment.

Gary